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Pat Daley, B.S., R.N. School Nurse (602) 449-3703 |
Our school nurse provides for the day to day health needs and emergencies of our students. She also coordinates social services, annual health screenings, life skills, parenting classes and more. |
HEALTH CONCERNS
It is imperative you notify the nurse of any medical condition(s) your child may have such as diabetes, asthma, allergies, vision or hearing problems, a physical or mental disability, etc. This will allow the school staff and the nurse to better serve your child.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION (P.E.) EXCUSES
1. A written parental excuse is required if your child cannot participate in P.E. for three or less days.
2. A written doctor's excuse is required if your child cannot participate in P.E. for more than three days.
3. A doctor's release is required for a child to participate in P.E. following surgery or serious injury.
MEDICATIONS (PVUSD POLICY)
When it is necessary for your child to take medication during school hours, the following requirements must be met:
1. Prescription medicine must be in the ORIGINAL CONTAINER WITH A CURRENT PRESCRIPTION LABEL.
2. There must be WRITTEN PERMISSION from the parent/guardian to administer medication to your child. Name of the medication, dosage, time, and dates to be given must be stated on the form. A separate medication form, provided by the nurse, needs to be completed for EACH MEDICATION. Please also provide an empty, labeled second bottle for each medication for transporting field trip medications.
3. Medications are expected to be brought to school by the parent/guardian.
4. Students MAY NOT keep medication with them or carry medications home from school due to safety concerns.
5. It is recommended that liquid medicines that must be refrigerated be left in the Health Center during the dates to be dispensed and that you keep a needed amount at home. Most pharmacies will dispense two bottles of prescribed medicine if you request it.
6. Inhalers cannot be kept in the student's possession without a written doctor's order.
7. Medications brought to school which do not meet the necessary requirements (e.g., in the original labeled container, signed permission form, etc.) WILL NOT BE DISPENSED by the nurse and will be kept in a locked cabinet in the Health Center until a parent/guardian verifies the medication and follows the procedures for dispensing the medication or picks up the medication.
8. Any extra medication(s) that have not been picked up by the parent/guardian at the end of treatment or at the end of the school year will be disposed of.
9. Please contact the nurse if you or your doctor feel it is necessary for your child to receive over-the-counter medication such as Tylenol or cough drops. It is the responsibility of the parent to provide over-the-counter medications.
10. If your child requires a morning dose of medication, it is recommended that he/she receive it at home BEFORE LEAVING FOR SCHOOL. We have found that the educational process is enhanced when students take their morning medication(s) at home. They arrive at school ready to meet the day!
EMERGENCY CARD
Per district policy, parents/guardians must COMPLETE AND SIGN THE STUDENT EMERGENCY CARD TO COMPLETE REGISTRATION AND ENROLLMENT. Emergency cards for elementary and middle school students must be returned by the end of the first week of school. Please make sure you have answered ALL questions, as we do not keep emergency cards from the previous year.
ILLNESS/EMERGENCY
School is no place for a sick child. Please do not send your child to school if he/she has diarrhea, vomiting, a fever, rash, deep cough, or a communicable disease such as chicken pox, strep throat, pink-eye, etc. If you are unsure of your child’s symptoms, please call the school nurse before sending him/her to school.
You will be notified if your child becomes ill enough to be removed from school, sustains more than a minor injury, or for any other emergency. It is the parent’s responsibility to make arrangements to pick up your ill or injured child as promptly as possible. In accordance with district procedures, elementary school students are not permitted to walk home when ill or injured.
If your child has been ill with fever, he/she must be FEVER FREE FOR 24 HOURS before returning to school.
PLEASE NOTIFY THE NURSE OF ANY HOME, WORK, OR EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBER OR ADDRESS CHANGES IMMEDIATELY SO WE MAY UPDATE YOUR CHILD'S EMERGENCY CARD.
IMMUNIZATIONS
Arizona State Law ARS § 15-872 states that children must have documentary proof of immunization on file at school. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to furnish the school with the month and year of each immunization for your child. If your child is missing or delinquent in receiving the required immunizations, he/she MAY BE EXCLUDED FROM SCHOOL until the needed immunizations are received and documented proof is presented to the school nurse.
HEALTH SCREENING
Age/grade level appropriate and program specific health screenings of students (e.g. height, weight, vision, hearing, blood pressure, scoliosis) are performed each year. You will be notified should the nurse detect a possible problem.
COMMUNITY BASED HEALTH CLINIC
PVUSD, in conjunction with Scottsdale Healthcare, provides health care to low-income, uninsured families within the district through a community-based health clinic located at Palomino Elementary School. You may contact the nurse to determine your eligibility and/or to process an application.
KIDSCARE HEALTH INSURANCE
If you do not qualify for AHCCCS and have no health insurance for your child(ren), you may be able to qualify for KidsCare, a low-cost, or in some instances no-cost, health insurance program for children of working parents offered by the state of Arizona. For further information and/or an application, you may contact KidsCare at 1-877-764-5437 or the school nurse.
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Health Center at school is not a primary care facility like a doctor's office and may not be used as such because the nurse is not allowed by law to make a medical diagnosis, prescribe treatment, or administer medication without a doctor's order. First aid and medical care provided by the school nurse are primarily for illnesses or injuries that occur during the school day. School is a healthy environment! The nurse's major responsibility is to maintain that environment and give each child the best opportunity to learn and reach his/her full potential through health education, health assessments, identification of health problems, the making of appropriate referrals and follow-up, and altering the school environment to meet special health needs.
The average healthy student may never have a need to visit the school nurse or may likely make no more than 5 to 7 visits per school year. Proper use of the Health Center is encouraged. However, be assured acute illness and injuries will always be addressed immediately.
Health Center hours are in effect. Any situation that can wait will be attended to during the designated morning and afternoon hours. The reasons for Health Center hours are:
- To increase student instruction time.
- To increase compliance with state and local mandates for health services.
- To increase the student's ability to be responsible consumers of health care.
- To increase the student's self-care skills.
- To improve the quality of care to students.
Students with unnecessary, chronic, or frequent visitors to the Health Center will be encouraged to alter their habits and parents will be notified if the practice continues. Your cooperation is appreciated to reduce needless missed class time and and to help access medical attention when appropriate.
Thank you for the time you have taken to read this information. Your cooperation is always appreciated. Please feel free to stop by or call the school nurse regarding any questions or concerns.
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